Protecting Americans from High Electricity Prices Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 4735 Introduced in Senate (IS)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4735 To establish procedures for determining the public interest with respect to greenhouse gas emissions, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 10, 2026 Mr. Merkley introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To establish procedures for determining the public interest with respect to greenhouse gas emissions, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Americans from High Electricity Prices Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. PUBLIC INTEREST CRITERIA UNDER THE NATURAL GAS ACT. (a) Public Interest Criteria.--Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a)-- (A) in the third sentence, by striking ``The Commission may'' and inserting the following: ``(3) Authority.--The Commission may''; (B) in the second sentence-- (i) by inserting ``, subject to subsection (c)'' after ``public interest''; and (ii) by striking ``The Commission shall'' and all that follows through ``will not be'' and inserting the following: ``(2) Public interest.--The Commission may issue such order upon application, after an opportunity for hearing, if the Commission finds that the proposed exportation or importation is''; and (C) by striking ``(a) After six months'' and inserting the following: ``(a) Authorization Order.-- ``(1) In general.--After 6 months''; and (2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following: ``(c) Public Interest Criteria.-- ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection: ``(A) Country of concern.--The te